Lawrence raises teams’ records

CROSS COUNTRY

By Tim Falls, Sports Editor
   The Lawrence High School boys and girls cross country teams posted their best Colonial Valley Conference records in several seasons.
   The Cardinal squads finished the duel meet season with wins over Nottingham and Hamilton and losses to West Windsor-Plainsboro North for a 6-7 record. While finishing under .500, both teams won two more meets than Lawrence did last season.
   The 6-7 record for the Lawrence girls was the team’s best in over seven years. Cardinal coach Tim Collins said the boys’ conference record was the Cardinals best in four or five years.
   The Lawrence boys finished 8-8 with two non-conference wins as well as a non-conference loss.
   The Cardinals’ senior captain, Marcin Truzskowski, placed second overall in 17 minutes, 17 seconds while leading the Lawrence boys in a 24-31 win over Nottingham and a 16-45 victory over Hamiton. WW-P North defeated Lawrence, 20-43.
   Truzskowski led most of the race but Nottingham’s James Williams overtook the Cardinal senior to win with a time of 17:06.
   Collins said Truzskowski went out too fast in the first 400 meters and raced the first two miles by himself.
   ”He looked good, but I thought he could have gone faster today,” said Collins. “It was tough leading for so much of the race. The West Windsor boys were not going all out. They were running as a pack and I expected Marcin to be able to draft off of them for at least a mile or so.”
   Instead, by setting the pace as the lead runner for most of the race, Collins said Truzskowski tired at the end.
   Lawrence senior captain Scott Figatner finished in third place in 17:51, while junior Justin Wisniewski took 12th in 18:21, junior Rafal Truzskowski took 13th in 18:56 and freshman Abel McDaniels placed 19th in 20:21.
   Collins selected freshman freshman Nic Trani as the Cardinals’ boys’ athlete of the meet for his improvement in finishing in 26th place out of 39 runners in the race.
   Falk took ninth in 22:53 to lead the Lawrence girls to 15-150 wins over Nottingham and Hamilton, while the Knights defeated the Cardinals, 15-50.
   ”Natalie was disappointed with her time, but I thought she ran a very smart and aggressive race,” said Collins. “Her time was not what we both wanted but we’re hopeful that she has a big race in her at counties.”
   Freshman Elizabeth Marsh took 14th in 24.20, and Colllins said she had her best race of the season. The Cardinal coach selected Marsh as the Lawrence boys’ athlete of the meet.
   ”I thought this was the most aggressive race Elizabeth has run all year,” said Collins. “If she can do it again at counties, she will run very well. She is young and has great potential.”Lawrence senior captain Laura Brehm followed Marsh in 24:24, while junior Andrea Tunnard took 17th in 24:56 and Lydia Falk placed 21st in 25:32.
   The Cardinals also competed at the Old Bridge Classic on Saturday. Marcin Truzskowski led the boys, taking 23rd in 17:08, while Falk finished 55th in 22:45 as the Cardinal girls’ top runner.